Brazen Indifference (2)
The force dispatched by the Church in response to Duke Stanasila Urtega's urgent summons numbered only a few dozen.
For a contingent assembled to face a Demon King, it was an absurdly small force. Yet not a single face among them bore the slightest trace of fear. All that could be seen was grim, unyielding resolve.
"So that is... a Demon King."
"A truly abominable presence."
"It is suffocating. To think an existence that has attained such a towering realm could be a mere servant of the Demon God..."
"The holy domain cannot purify it. If anything, the domain itself is being encroached upon."
Anyone who looked upon their faces and realized who they were would have gasped in sheer disbelief. The gathered assembly consisted entirely of the Pope, the Saintess, the complete college of Cardinals, and the highest-ranking prelates of the Holy See.
Had this group been wiped out in a single stroke, it wouldn't have ended merely with the paralyses of Church administration. Stripped not only of the symbols and icons that embodied the faith itself, but of its head and arms as well, the Holy Order would have unraveled completely. It was no exaggeration to say the entire institution would have collapsed.
Yet even knowing this, they had gathered here to prepare for the decisive battle. For the will of the Goddess, for their own convictions, and for the survival of humanity.
Though none could claim to be entirely devoid of personal ambition, the fact that they were laying down their lives for the greater good rendered their purpose undeniably noble.
"O Lord, here stands Your pitiful servant. Though weak and helpless, Your servant beseeches You with all his heart. Look with mercy upon Your child, struggling against foolish desires."
The prayer of Pope Nierdian Hapechelaim resonated in a low, solemn cadence. His voice, brimming with divine power, radiated a subtle warmth and light that rippled outward in intricate geometric patterns. The luminescence gathered like dense mist, solidifying into a translucent dome at the center of the wasteland.
It was a barrier meant to trap the Demon King, restrict her movements, and weaken her might. A grand ward of such immense potency that not even high demons—let alone ordinary monsters—could easily shatter or escape it. Yet not a single person present looked upon it with optimism.
The title of Demon King carried far too terrifying a weight.
"...Will Lord Stanasila Aljen be all right?"
A delicate voice, quite out of place given the gravity of the moment, drew the attention of the Church's vanguard.
Standing noticeably shorter than the adults around her, the girl seemed almost buried in the crowd. Pale blond hair drifted gently around her face as she stared unblinkingly through the barrier. Watching her stand so tall and undaunted before the Demon King, the clerics felt a simultaneous surge of pride and heartache.
Her posture was everything a Saintess should be—steadfast and reassuring—yet they could not help blaming themselves for forcing someone so young onto a battlefield where her life hung by a thread.
"He will be fine. To maintain his composure even in the presence of a Demon King... Did you not hear the conversation between them?"
Naturally, the Church's hastily assembled Demon King subjugation squad had not come empty-handed. Not only were their bodies draped in equipment of astronomical value, but they had also packed an extensive arsenal of precious relics and artifacts, regardless of rarity or immediate necessity. Among these was an artifact capable of eavesdropping on distant conversations, allowing them to grasp the situation in real time.
"I heard, but... I still can't understand it."
Cecilia, her brow furrowing slightly, fixed her gaze on the speck in the distance that was Stanasila Aljen.
"How can a man without a shred of power act like that in front of an insurmountable evil? To me, his words and actions look like despair—or as if he has no attachment to his own life at all. What do the rest of you think?"
"Mmh... Indeed."
"No ordinary man could pull off such madness before a Demon King."
How many times had their hearts seized with sheer terror while listening to the exchange between Aljen and the Demon King? Even now, their nerves were wound agonizingly tight. That madman Stanasila Aljen was currently sitting down and having drinks with the Demon King—right after they had both declared their intention to kill each other.
It was entirely abnormal, bordering on the incomprehensible.
From such a great distance, the prelates themselves found their breath catching, crushed beneath an oppressive weight that chilled their marrow. How on earth was that man able to act like a frivolous clown right before her eyes, steering the Demon King by the nose?
In truth, Rubias had simply noticed their presence and dispersed just enough of her aura so as not to crush Aljen. But ignorant of that fact, the clergy attributed the suffocating pressure entirely to the Demon King's innate presence.
"When the Demon King struck, I thought he was as good as dead..."
"To be honest, I still don't understand it. How did he survive an attack that literally shattered space itself, and then manage to launch a counterattack?"
"It must be the power of a relic."
"Could a relic truly be that extraordinary...?"
Listening to the hushed murmurs around her, Cecilia remained lost in thought, her brow creasing even deeper.
"I truly cannot make sense of it. Lord Stanasila Aljen's words and actions are completely contradictory. He seems to have given up, appearing entirely indifferent to whether he lives or dies, yet he is doing everything in his power to kill the Demon King. The fact that we were summoned here, and that he bought us time to declare the holy domain and raise the barrier, is living proof. What is he thinking? Does he carry some profound sense of duty? Or is it because of that mysterious information he possesses...?"
"Do not overthink it, Cecilia."
"...Ah, forgive me. I've done it again..."
Once she fell into deep thought, she became utterly blind to her surroundings—a terrible habit of hers. Her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment at realizing she had spaced out right on the verge of a battle to slay a Demon King.
"It is quite all right. And if you are so curious, why not ask him yourself?"
Even as he answered Cecilia, the Pope's profound gaze swept over the barrier. Noticing a sudden ripple in the air, he slowly raised his hand. At that gesture, the murmuring priests fell silent at once, channeling their divine power in unison.
"Ask him directly?"
"Is that not the simplest and clearest way to obtain an answer?"
"...I don't think he's the type to give an answer easily."
"Hahaha. That, too, will be part of the amusement. Provided he survives, of course."
"......"
Her expression conflicted at the Pope's words, Cecilia drew forth the relic strapped to her back and the artifact hanging at her waist. Looking down at the dark crimson sheen of the recently invented artifact, she caught the faint trace of demonic energy radiating from it and immediately channeled her divine power.
"I hope he survives. If only to satisfy my curiosity."
"Haha. Indeed. I pray that everyone survives."
With the Pope's quiet words, the clergy ceased speaking. Pouring their divine power forth in silence, they began preparing high-tier holy magic.
I took a deep drag from my cigarette, holding the smoke in my lungs until a heavy jolt of nicotine hit my brain, loosening the tension in my limbs and leaving me pleasantly numb.
"Pheeew..."
Watching the gray haze drift upward, I took a swig of alcohol and looked down at the Demon King, Rubias, with an utterly baffled expression.
"...You doing okay there? You realize we're standing right inside a holy domain and a barrier, right?"
"Hm? Heheh. Are you worried about me?"
She answered in a bright, cheerful tone, flashing a wide grin that revealed a mouthful of crushed fruit pulp. I grimaced. Being a Demon King really meant having zero table manners, didn't it? Or maybe she was just playing the part.
"I'm about to do everything I can to kill you, so why would I worry? I was just curious."
"Ahahaha! I'm fine! A dinky little holy domain and barrier like this can't scratch me!"
"Ugh, quit spitting fruit everywhere! That's disgusting..."
I leaned back to dodge the bits of pulp flying from her mouth as she laughed, letting out a heavy sigh. What the hell happened to that savage bloodlust she was radiating earlier? I thought for sure we were rolling straight into a boss fight, but then she abruptly plopped her ass down on the ground and started scarfing down fruit. The sheer absurdity of it choked the laughter right out of my throat.
The situation seemed to be going according to plan, but... the mood had gotten so ridiculous that I couldn't muster an ounce of drive. Was she throwing my own clown routine right back in my face? Experiencing it from the receiving end was surprisingly irritating.
"Aljen! Come have some too! There's barely any left! If you don't eat it, I'm taking the whole thing!"
"...Fine, just toss me a peach."
The Demon King's clown act was on an entirely different level from my amateur performance. Thousands of years of life and hundreds of mortal playthroughs weren't just for show; she wore a skin thick enough to flip her tone and demeanor on a dime, keeping me constantly off balance.
"You guys come grab one too."
I gestured behind me, but Muriel, Rebecca, and Cacciola—who had been standing rigid at point-blank range, glaring at the Demon King with their guards raised to the absolute limit—silently shook their heads.
Looking at their condition, I tilted my head. Cold sweat was pouring down their pale faces, their breathing was ragged, and their hands were trembling ever so slightly. Were they really that terrified? Well, from their perspective, they only had one life to lose, so I supposed it made sense.
I, on the other hand, knew I'd regress if I died, so it didn't bother me all that much. Still... if I died right now, would I regress all the way back to day one of transmigrating into this body? That would be a massive pain in the ass.
A sigh slipped through my lips unbidden.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"...Nothing."
Using the peach as a snack, I took another sip of liquor. Rubias immediately reached her hand out toward me.
"Drinking all by yourself? Give me some too!"
"...Why not? Sure."
When else would I ever get the chance to share a drink with a Demon King? Might as well consider it a stroke of bizarre luck and drink up.
I held my hand out toward Muriel, who stared at me with an expression that screamed, Have you completely lost your mind? It was truly a marvel how transparent her thoughts were despite her deadpan face. Was I getting drunk? When I wagged my fingers again, she let out a massive sigh, sheathed her dagger, and retrieved two glasses from the Subspace Pouch.
"Here. Catch."
"Ooh! Nice! Pour it up!"
She thrust her glass forward with great enthusiasm. Smirking faintly, I filled it to the brim.
"Khaaah...! That's the good stuff! Or maybe it just tastes better because I'm drinking with a friend?"
Gulping it down in a single shot, she let out a hearty laugh. Then, with speed too fast for the eye to track, she snatched the bottle from my hands and filled my glass to overflowing.
"Pffft..."
I tossed it back in one go, exhaling a plume of hot breath. The impromptu drinking session carried on until the entire bottle was drained bone-dry.
"Haaa... That hits the spot. I've never had such a comfortable drink before."
Rubias looked genuinely happy, her cheeks flushed pink as she beamed with pure, innocent joy. Her smile was so breathtakingly alluring that it made my head spin, forcing me to look away.
"Is that so? Whew..."
Downing that strong liquor so fast was making my vision wobble. Rubias, being a Demon King, looked completely sober. I didn't know if that was something to envy or not. Personally, I drank to get buzzed.
"Mmh..."
Right then, an ear-splitting scolding buzzed through the communication artifact lodged in my ear. It was my impatient father, demanding that I get a move on.
Grimacing with an annoyed sigh, I slowly brushed myself off and rose to my feet.
"...Are we starting?"
Facing the Demon King, whose presence had abruptly turned deadly serious once more, I nodded.
"Yeah."
The moment the word left my mouth, I attempted to trigger the Absolute Ring of Taunt. Though I had already used it once earlier, the cooldown had completely reset because Rubias's intent to fight had subsided while we were drinking.
"...Guh-urk?!"
In that split second, a torrential spray of blood erupted from my eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
"Don't worry," Rubias said, a serene, gentle smile spreading across her face. "I have no intention of killing you."
"Lord Aljen?!"
"Dammit!"
With Rubias's calm smile filling my fading vision, and the frantic, panicked screams of my companions ringing in my ears, I slowly collapsed backward into the dark.